DELRAY'S BIRD WINS RE-ELECTION IN BALLOT RECOUNT

Incumbent Malcolm Bird was re-elected to a fourth consecutive City Council term and avoided what looked destined to be the city's first runoff in seven years, a ballot recount revealed Wednesday.

"I'm delighted. I don't think there would have been much gained by a runoff," Bird said, after the council certified the results of Tuesday's balloting.

Bird and fellow incumbent Marie Horenburger regained two-year council seats over challengers James "Pete" Bowen, Ed Perry and Charles "Ed" Dalton. Though Horenburger's victory was clear Tuesday, it took a ballot recount -- and almost 24 hours -- before Bird's re-election was assured.

The delay stemmed from the city's complex election system, which requires candidates to win support from a majority of voters casting ballots in the council race.

City Attorney Herb Thiele said Board of Elections officials spent 1/2 hours reviewing results of the voting Wednesday. Ballots from those who voted only in the city's bond issue referendum were eliminated, while other votes were declared invalid for various reasons.

"You'd be amazed at the number of people -- 20 or 30 -- we found that voted for all five candidates," Thiele said. Voters were to choose two candidates.

The recount revised Bird's vote totals up by 20 votes, while he also gained 42 absentee votes that were opened Wednesday. Bird's new total, 2,871, exceeded the 2,822 majority needed by 49 votes, averting the need for a runoff.

The city's last runoff was in 1978, between Willard Young and Charlotte Durante.

Bowen, Bird's closest challenger, finished with 1,894 votes, or 44 more than Tuesday's initial totals. Bowen, a member of the city's Internal Audit Committee, did not attend the council's certification meeting, and could not be reached for comment Wednesday evening.

The day-long confusion over who won the second council seat sparked an immediate demand for reform of the city's election system.

"We don't need this exercise. It just costs time and money," said City Councilman Art Jackel, before the council's midday meeting at which, as the city's canvassing board, it counted absentee ballots.

Jackel said candidates who receive a voting plurality, or more votes than their opponents, should be elected. The city charter currently requires candidates to receive a majority of the votes cast to win.

The uncertainty over this year's outcome mirrored last year's election, considered the city's closest council race on record. Two days after votes were cast, and officials hand-counted 5,000 ballots, Jackel was declared a winner, along with Vice Mayor Jimmy Weatherspoon and Councilwoman Horenburger.

Even before his re-election was assured, Bird said Wednesday he would call for revising the city's election charter. Any change would have to be approved by voters in a referendum.

Bird proposed the city number council seats and have candidates run at-large, in citywide voting. The method would make for clear contests, between declared opponents, Bird said, rather than the current method some liken to "political musical chairs."

Numbering seats, "is probably a realistic approach," he said. But he said candidates still should be required to draw a minimum number of votes. "Maybe as long as you get over 40 percent of the votes cast, a plurality then would be sufficient," Bird added.

City Clerk Elizabeth Arnau said she was dissapointed with Tuesday's turnout at the polls, which attracted 21.5 percent of the city's 26,286 registered voters. Arnau said she had forecast that up to 35 percent of the voters would cast ballots.

"I was hoping for a lot better than (Tuesday's turnout) . . . but it just seemed this election didn't generate that much interest," Arnau said.

In the city's 16 precincts, turnout ranged from almost 50 percent in the precinct containing the Pines of Delray North development, to just over 9 percent in the predominantly black precinct bordered by Southwest Third Avenue and Interstate 95.

The order of finish among the five candidates closely reflected their campaign contributions and spending.

Bird and Horenburger were the top vote-getters in the city's black community, in which just over 12 percent of the 2,570 registered voters went to the polls. The incumbents also drew heavy support from beachfront voters.

In the two precincts east of the Intracoastal Waterway, Horenburger attracted more than 38 percent of the 635 ballots cast. Bird was close behind with 34 percent of the total, and Bowen a distant third with 15 percent.

In finishing third, with 1,894 of the ballots cast citywide, Bowen carried only one precinct, the large northwest section including Rainberry Bay and Chatelaine developments. He made a strong showing, however, in the city's downtown neighborhoods and in far western developments, including The Hamlet.

Horenburger, who was elected to a one-year council term last year by a narrow, 1 percent margin, received 3,512 votes and was the overwhelming top choice of voters this year. She carried 12 of the city's 16 precincts Tuesday, in being elected to a two-year term.

"People seem pleased with the job I've done this past year. And I'm ready to come out of the rookie stage and hit stride," Horenburger said after her victory was assured Tuesday.

Bird carried only the city's two mainly black precincts and the Pines of Delray North precinct. The incumbent, however, attracted more than 20 percent of the votes in 10 of the remaining 13 precincts.